Russia has begun deploying the next generation of Nebo-M anti-missile radar facility systems as part of a responsive measure to a threat stemming from NATO anti-ballistic missile systems in Eastern Europe.

“The mobile
multi-range programmable Nebo-M complex is capable of performing
the tasks of providing information on small-sized aerodynamic and
hypersonic targets in a difficult jamming background, as well as
providing information for anti-missile weapon systems,” said
colonel Aleksey Zolotuhin, a spokesman for the Russian Defense
Ministry’s press service.

The development and deployment of next-gen anti-missile systems
featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology
is a top priority for the Russian Defense Ministry, as US
anti-ballistic missile system are springing up in Romania,
Turkey, Poland, and even in Spain.

The new Nebo-M 3-D radar system features a programmable
multi-band design. The complex includes central data fusion and
command post module as well as three radars, all deployed on
separate high-mobility 8 x 8 24-ton vehicles. According to
Aviatioweek, radars feed data to the command post using
high-speed narrow-beam digital data links in the microwave band.

The radar is designed to automatically detect and track airborne
targets such as ballistic missiles, stealth aircraft, or drones,
as well as hypersonic targets. In the circular scan mode the
complex is able to track up to 200 aerodynamic targets at a
distance and at altitudes of up to 600 kilometers. In sector scan
mode, Nebo-M can track to 20 ballistic targets at ranges of up to
1,800 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 1,200 kilometers.

In October, the Russian Defense Ministry unveiled plans to build
several new anti-missile radars in order to cover the entire
territory of Russia by 2020. Moscow also announced that an early
warning radar station in the western Kaliningrad Region would be
put on full combat duty by the year’s end.